Look: FOX Sports Ranks Bengals' Playoff Chances Among Teams That Missed Out in 2024

Trying to get back.

Jan 29, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) watches the video board as he walks for the locker room after the fourth quarter of the AFC championship NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City Chiefs advanced to the Super Bowl with a 23-20 win over the Bengals. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-Imagn Images / Sam Greene-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals haven't made the playoffs over the past two seasons, but FOX Sports writer David Helman thinks that has a great chance of changing this coming January.

He ranked Cincinnati just behind San Francisco among the 2024 non-playoff teams with the best chance to make the field this season.

"Honestly, the Bengals haven’t given me a ton of reasons to think they’ve fixed last year’s defensive issues," Helman wrote. "Trey Hendrickson remains in a contract stalemate with the team, and first-round pick Shemar Stewart is staging a rarely-seen rookie holdout. Those are scary problems when you have to play six games against the AFC North, as well as matchups with Buffalo, Detroit, and Green Bay, among others. 

"All of that said, I’m not willing to bet against Joe Burrow and this Cincy offense. They might need to average 34 points per game to reach the playoffs, but the crazy thing is they’re capable of that. It’s going to be stressful because it’s always stressful with the Bengals, but I still think they’re capable of 10 wins and making the playoffs."

The Bengals schedule toughness ranks in the middle of the pack among all NFL teams. With a slight bump in defensive production and a fully healthy Burrow this offseason, Cincinnati would have little excuse not to make the dance.

Missing the playoffs in three consecutive prime Burrow years is a potentially tough pill to swallow.

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